Matthew f



No. 606,707. Patented July 5, I898.

v M. F. CONNETT.

FABRIC TURFING IMPLEMENT.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1898.)

W R m NITED STATES PTENT MATTHEW F. OONNETT, or SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS,AssIeNoR T LAYTON Y. HANCOCK, or SAME PLACE.

FABRIC-TURFING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,707, dated July 5,1898.

Application filed anuary 10, 1898. Serial No. 666,135. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW F. CONNETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Antonio, in the county of BeXarandState of Texas, have:invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Fabric-Turfinglmplements;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart I0 to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification. I 5 This inventionrelates to fabric-turfing implements.

The object of the invention is to provide an implement of simple andcheap construction, easily operated by an unskilled person, and

not liable to get out of order or wear in use,

by which, by imparting a reciprocating movement to parts of the device,a thread may be carried through a fabric at each reciprocation, leavingeach time a loop of predetermined length on the opposite side of thefabric to that on which the implement is placed in order that by acontinuance of the reciprocations a turf of uniform height throughoutmay be produced.

Further, the'object of the invention is to provide a turfing implementof the kind referred to in which the thread of which the turf is to bemade shall be drawn through a tension device before being passed throughthe fabric, thus insuring the uniformity of the work done.

Further, the object ofthe invention is to provide a turfing implement ofthe kind referred to in which the thread shall automato ically bepositively clamped between the eye of a needle and a tension deviceafter a needle has been withdrawn a distance to draw through the tensionmaterial for a loop of pre-' determined length on the face of the fabricopposite to thaton which the implement is placed.

Further, the object of the invention is to provide a turfing implementofthe kind described whereby a series of loops of uniform length may beformed upon one side of a fab- 5o ric, and in the operation of which thethread of which each loop is formed shall be drawn but oncethrough theeye of the needle by which the thread is carriedthrough the fabric, thusavoidingwithdrawing the loop left in rear of the implement when theneedle is withdrawn. 5

Further, the object of the invention is to provide a fabric-tnrfingimplement comprisinganeedle having an eye near its point, hav- 6o ingsimple means for retaining the needle in the implementin such a Way asto prevent its removal or displacement in the use of the device.

With these objects in view the invention consists of a fabric-turfingimplement comprising a sheath or casing, a reciprocating needle-bar, aneedle carried by the needle bar,a tension device through which thethread passesfrom't-he supply, and a thread-clampin g device carried bythe needle-bar,wl1ereby as the needle-bar ascends the clamp is operatedby the tension imposed upon the thread by the tension device to supplysufficient slack in the thread for the formation of the succeeding loop.v

Further, the invention consists of a turting implement comprising asheath or casing, a needle-bar, a needle carried by the needle-bar anddesigned to carry a thread through a fab- 8o ric, a thread-clampingdevice having a pivoted member and carried by the needle-bar, and atension device through which the thread passes before passing throughthe clamp, whereby when the thread is drawn through the tension devicethe clamp willbe closed and passage of the threadthrough the eye of theneedle on the upward movement of the needle will be prevented and aquantity of thread sufficient to form a succeeding loop will be drawnfrom the supply.

Further, the invention consists of a fabricturfing implement comprisinga sheath or casing, a needle-bar a needle carried by the needle-bar and.adapted to carry a thread through a fabric, a thread-clamping deviceattached to and moving with the needle and through which the threadpasses,'a tension device arranged on the sheath or casing, and anadjustable stop by which the length of movement of the neeedle-bar isdetermined.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevation of an implement constructed in accordancewith my invention, the parts being shown in position ready for thedownward movement of the needle-bar to introduce the thread carried bythe needle through the cloth on which the turfing is to be done. Fig. 2is a view similar to Fig. 1, the parts being shown in the positionsassumed as the needle is withdrawn to leave a loop on the under side ofthe cloth. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view of theimplement. Fig. lis a rear face view of the implement, particularlyshowing the tension device. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view ofthe lock on the needle-bar, showing its position as the needle-bardescends and as it completes a part of its upward movement. Fig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 5, the parts being shown in the position assumed inthe latter part of the upward movement of the needle; and Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the movable socket by which the needle is received.

In the drawings, A represents a sheath or casing, which may be of anydesired material and form, it being here shown as square incross-section and composed of sheet metal. The sheath or casing isprovided at its lower end with a pressure-foot a, which is designed torest on one face of the cloth on which the work is to be done.

13 represents a needle-bar, which is of a size and shape to be receivedby the sheath or casing to move longitudinally in the same and at thesame time to be prevented from rotating independently of the sheath orcasing. The needle-bar is provided near what in the use of the device isthe lower end with offsets b b, which come in contact with the lower endof the sheath, and thus limit its upward movement. The downward movementof the needle-bar is limitedv by an adjust-able stop 0. This stepconsists of the spring portion 0, which is retained in place by lugs con the inner face of the needle-bar and the head c which is slightlywider than the spring portion. The edges of the head are designed torest in the indentations 0 which are arranged in pairs, the members ofeach pair being on opposite sides of the needle-bar. \Yhen the stop isadjusted to any one of the pairs of notches, the head will be in aposition to receive the impact of the upper end of the sheath as theneedle-bar is moved downward. The spring portion of the stop is soarranged with its end bearing on the inner face of the needle-bar andits upper face bearing on the lugs that the resiliency of the springwill be utilized to retain the head in any position to which it may bemoved. 3y the described arrangement of parts it will be seen that thestop governing on asmooth side of the needle.

the upward movement of the needle-bar is fixed, while that governing itsdownward movement is movable, thus allowing adj ustment of the parts toregulate the length of the turf formed in the operation of theimplement.

The lower end of the needle-bar is provided with a head Z), havingtherein an opening 11*, into which projects the upward end of the needleD. Arranged within the needle-bar is a movable socket E, consisting ofthe upper curved portion 6 and the flanges c, integral with the curvedportion and designed to bear against the respective inner side faces ofthe needle-bar. The curved portion of the socket is for the reception ofthe inner end of the needle, and when the latter is in place it will beseen that it will be prevented from having any side movement, thusinsuring the accuracy of its downward plunge.

The needle D is for the purpose of automatically feeding the implementforward in its operation, normally held at an angle to the needle bar.To accomplish this, the socket is capable of a slight lateral movementin the needle-bar, the needle is fnlcrumed in the sides of the opening 0and is held by a spring F in the inclined position shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings before being passed into the fabric on which the work is tobe done. The spring F is soldered or otherwise secured at one end to theinner face of the needle-bar and its lower free end is bent atsubstantially right angles to the body of the spring and bears on theneedle, the socket being cut away at the point a to allow the end of thespring to bear on the needle. The springbearing on the needle keeps thelatter normallyincliued and it also forms the fuuction of retaining thesocket in place to receive the upper end of the needle.

The needle D is provided with an eye (1 near its point, and it isprovided at its upper end on one side with a bevel d, at the lower endof which is a notch (7 whichv is entered by the bent end of the springF. This form of needle allows of its being introduced by sim ply pushingit under the end of the spring until the end of the latter enters thenotch, when it will be retained for operation. \Yhen it is desired toremove the needle, the latter is first rotated to cause the end of thespring to bear \Vhen this is done, no other obstruction to thewithdrawal of the needle is afforded.

The means for automatically clamping the thread between the needle andthesupply for imposing a tension on the thread for the purpose ofinsuring the uniformity of the loops formed and for rendering theoperation of the clamp certain will now be described.

Projecting from opposite sides of the needle-bar are the wings g, inwhich is pivotally mounted a viln'atins'" clamp (1, having at its lowerend an arm g the lower face of which is parallel to the face of theplate h and is designed to bear against the plate to confine a threadpassed between the two parts or to be moved awayrto release the same. Atthe up per end of the clamp, on the outside of the point at which theclampis pivoted, is an arm 9 having its end g bent at right anglesthereto for the purpose of holding the thread in place when theimplement is threaded, as hereinafter described.

The lower end of the needle-bar between the arms forming thepresser-foot is provided withanotch gflforming a guide for the thread.

On the rear face of the sheath is a tension G',which may be of anysuitable construction. In the present embodiment of the invention aspring-plate g is so attached to the sheath as to leave its lower endfree, and in its lower portion is an eye g from which eye extends a slotor groove extending to the edge of the plate and providing for theinsertion of the thread. A spring-fingerg is arranged adjacent to theplate 9 and its lower end, extending at right angles from the mainportion of the plate, is parallel to the lower edge of the plate 9 andis in close proximity thereto.

In threading the implement the end of the thread of which the turf is tobe-formed is passed through the eye of the needle, and the threadbetween the needle and the supply is first passed between the arm g andthe plate I), thence upward over the arm 9 upon which it is held by thebent end 9 thence around the lower end of the needle-bar, being held inplace by the notch g thence between the plates g and g, and finallythrough the slot in the plate g to the eye g The operation of theimplement when constructed as described and threaded for operation is asfollows: The implement is placed with its presser-foot resting on thecloth on which work is to be done, the sheath being held by one hand andthe top of the presser: foot being grasped by the other hand, and theneedle-bar is given a downward movement. As the needle enters the cloth,carrying with it the thread, the whole implement will, on account of theinclination of the needle,be moved forward a stepthat is, to a point atwhich the next introduction of the needle will take place. After theneedle has been moved downward the distance allowed by the 'stop 0 it ismoved upward, and in this way a loop of the thread carried by the needlewill be formed on the outer side of the cloth, there being sufficientfriction on the thread by the clutch to prevent the withdrawal of theloose part thereof. When the needle inits upward movement reaches thepoint where the slack of the thread between the clamp and the tension istaken up and begins to draw on the supply, sufficient strain is imposedupon the thread to draw the upper end of the pivoted lock downward, thuspressing the arm gv against the edge of the plate b, engaging the threadbetween these parts and preventing its being drawn back through the eyeof the needle.

Inasmuch as the thread after passing throughthe tension passes aroundthe extreme lowest part of the sheath and thence to theclamp, a strainis imposed upon the thread immediately upon the beginning of the upwardmovement of the needle-bar, because the clamp on the needle-bar is atall times above the lower end of the sheath. thread by which the clampis operated is produced immediately on the beginning of the upwardmovement of the needle-bar. A continuance of the upward movement of theneedle-bar results in drawing through the tension device a length ofthread corresponding to that necessary to form a succeeding loop. On asecond downward movement the drawing of the thread through thetension'ceasin g at once on the beginning of this movement the clamp isreleased, and the thread confined between the tension device and theclamp on the upward movement is drawn through the clamp and furnishesmaterial for the loop about to be formed. The described movements of theparts are continued by the reciprocation of the needle-bar, and a turfof uniform length is formed. The length of the loops may of course bevaried atwill by the regulation of the length of the stroke by the stop0. 1

The device covered in the present application is carefully to bedistinguished from implements of the kind in which a lock operated bythe mere reciprocation of the needlebar is relied upon to withdraw thethread by locking the same on beginning of the upstroke and holding itin a fixed position relative to the needle as the latter is withdrawn.In my construction the tension performs the Thus the strain on the Ifunction of the lock in the device referred to.

It is not possible, however, to construct an implement having a tensionalone to regulate the withdrawal of the thread, for the reason that itis not practicable to produce a tension device which will exert a straincorresponding to the varying friction on the thread by reason ofintroducing the same into fabrics of varying density. It the tensionalone were used and should be of a form to exert more strain on thethread than was exerted by the fabric, then not only would the loopforward of the needle be withdrawn, but so, also, would the loop inrearof the needle be withdrawn, thus destroying the practicability of,the device. Should the pressure of the tension device on the thread beless than that exerted by the fabric, the withdrawal of theneedle wouldresult in leaving the materialof both the forward and rearloopsprojecting through the goods and would draw through the tension device aquantity of thread in excess of that required. In my device, to insurethe withdrawal of the forward loop only and also the withdrawal throughthe tension of the material of a succeeding loop, I so construct thetension device that it will exert a pres sure on the thread as great asthe maximum tension the goods will ever exert on the thread and arrangea locking device so that it will be operated by excess of tension in thetension device, and thus cause it to grasp the thread between thetension device and the needle, insuring the perfect operation of thedevice under all conditions. Another material difference between theclass of devices referred to and mine is that in the former the lock isoperated by a part which is moved in advance of the needle-bar, while inthe latter the clamp is operated solely by the thread.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. Afabricturling implement comprising a sheath or casing, areciprocating needle-bar, a needle carried by the needle-bar, a tensiondevice attached to the sheath or casing and through which the threadpasses from the supply, and a thread-clamping device carried by theneedle-bar, whereby as the needle-bar ascends the clamp is operated bythe tension imposed upon the thread by the tension device to supplysufficient slack in the thread for the formation of the succeeding loop,substantially as described.

2. A fabric-turling implement comprising a sheath or casing, a tensiondevice on the sheath or casing, a reciprocating needle-bar, a needlecarried by the needle-bar, a threadclamping device having a pivotedmember and carried by the needle-bar, and in contact with which thethread passes, whereby when the thread is drawn through the tensiondevice the clamp will be operated and the passage of the thread throughthe needle on the upward movement of the needle will be prevented, and aquantity of thread sufficient to form a succeeding loop will be drawnfrom the supply, substantially as described.

3. Aturfingimplement comprising a sheath or casing, a reciprocatingneedle-bar, a needle carried by the needle-bar, a thread-clampin gdevice attached to and movable with the needle-bar and through which thethread passes, a tension device on the sheath or casing, and anadjustable stop arranged on the sheath or casing by which the movementof the needle-bar is determined, substantially as described.

4. A fabric-turfing implement comprising a reciprocating needle-barhaving a transverse perforated plate at its lower end, a movable socketarranged adjacent to the plate, a spring-plate adjacent to the socket,and a needle projecting through the plate, received by the socket, andborne upon by the spring whereby the needle will be normally kept in aninclined position, and will be prevented from displacement in use,substantially asdescribed.

5. A turfing implement comprising a reciprocating needle-bar having atransverse perforated plate at its lower end, a socket arranged adjacentto the plate and carried by and movable with respect to the needle-bar,a spring having one end attached to the needle'bar, and having its otherend bent, a needle having a beveled end and also a groove adjacent tothe bevel, the groove being designed to receive the bent end of thespring, substantially as described.

(3. A turfing implement comprising a reciprocating needle-bar having atransverse plate at its lower end, the plate being provided with anopening, a socket arranged on the needlebar adjacent to the plate, thesocket being movable with respect to the needle-bar and having a curvedportion and lateral wings, the lower end of the curved portion beingremoved, a spring attached to the needle-bar at one end and havingitsother end bent and a needle designed to enter the socket and having itsupper end beveled, and having a notch adjacent to the beveled portion,the notch being designed to receive the bent end of the spring,substantially as described.

7. A fabric-turfing implement comprising a sheath or casing, areciprocating needle-bar having a transverse plate at its lower end, alever pivoted adjacent to and adapted to bear against the transverseplate and provided with thread-receiving arms on opposite sides of thepivot, a needle, and a tension device arranged 011 the sheath or casing,substantially as described.

8. Aturfingimplementcomprisingasheath or casing, a reciprocatingneedle-bar having a transverse plate at its lower end, a pivoted clamparranged adjacent to the plate and provided with two arms, the armsbeing arranged on opposite sides of the point at which the clamp ispivoted, one arm being placed adjacent to and parallel with thetransverse plate, and the other arm being provided with an arm bent atan angle to the arm, a needle, and a tension device on the sheath oreasing arranged between the thread-supply and the clamp, substantiallyas described.

9. A fabric-turfingimplement comprisinga sheath having a presser-footformed at its lower end, a notch in the lower end of the sheath betweenthe parts of the presser-foot, a tension device attached to the face ofthe sheath, one end being bent parallel with the lower end of the sheathand bearing against the face thereof, and the other being formed into anopen eye, a needle-bar having a clamp thereon, and a needle attached tothe needlebar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MATTlIElV l. OONNET' \Vitnesses:

L. Y. HANCOCK,

L. MoAnoo.

